Maxwell Foster is a pianist and pedagogue based in Baltimore and Brisbane. Maxwell has recently performed with members of the Orava Quartet and the New World Symphony, and he regularly entertains audiences in venues across the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. Other notable performances from this year include the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago and the presentation of Southern Cross Soloists’ “Maps and Journeys” at the Melbourne Recital Centre. Maxwell also dedicates much of his time to teaching. He coaches chamber music at Johns Hopkins University and maintains a large private studio, providing lessons both in-person and virtually. Holding positions at Johns Hopkins University, Artist Music Conservatory and the International School of Music, Maxwell teaches all levels of piano performance, from young beginners discovering the joys of music to advanced, college-aged students.

Originally from Brisbane, Australia, Maxwell commenced his piano studies at the age of three. After studying with Jenny Flemming at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, he relocated to Melbourne to attend the Australian National Academy of Music, where he received guidance from Rita Reichman. Throughout his time in Melbourne, Maxwell established a strong presence in the classical music community. He was the recipient of first prize at the ABC Young Performer Awards and has performed alongside every major orchestra within Australia. He has performed at venues such as Hammer Hall, the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, and Wigmore Hall.

In pursuit of his musical education, Maxwell ventured to the United States and obtained Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School, where he studied with Seymour Lipkin and Hung-Kuan Chen. He furthered his studies by completing a Master of Musical Arts degree at Yale University and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University under the tutelage of Yong Hi Moon.

Hailed as a “born communicator” (The Australian), a “brilliant young musician” (Otago Times), and a “soloist of superb virtuosic skill and musicality” (Limelight), Alex Raineri (b. 1993) is active Internationally and throughout Australia as a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician, writer, producer and educator. He is based in Brisbane, Australia.

International performances include tours throughout America, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Southeast Asia and New Zealand. Within Australia, Alex has appeared as a feature artist in many major festivals and venues. As a concerto soloist he has appeared with the Queensland, Tasmanian, Darwin and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, Orchestra Victoria, Ensemble Q, Southern Cross Soloists, Four Winds Festival Orchestra, Bangalow Festival Orchestra, Queensland Youth Symphony and the Queensland Pops Orchestra. He has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Radio NZ, California Capital Public Radio, ABC Classic FM and all of the Australian MBS Networks.

Alex is the Artistic Director of the annual Brisbane Music Festival. He is a passionate exponent and commissioner of contemporary music, having given 127 World Premieres + 163 Australian Premieres to date. He has commissioned over 70 works.

Notable collaborations include Andreas Ottensamer, Twoset Violin, eighth blackbird, ELISION, Asko|Schönberg, Lior, Sara Macliver, Mirusia, Natalie Clein, Natsuko Yoshimoto, Karin Schaupp, Greta Bradman, Amy Lehpamer, Li Wei Qin, Claire Edwardes, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Jack Liebeck, Kathryn Stott, Slava Grigoryan, Brett Dean, William Barton, Ensemble Offspring, Orava Quartet, and many others.

Major awards include the Kerikeri International Piano Competition and Australian National Piano Award. He was the recipient of the Queensland Luminary Award in the 2021 APRA/AMCOS Art Music Awards and received a Kranichsteiner Musikpries at the International Summer Courses for New Music (Darmstadt, Germany).